[Altrozed]

Originally Posted by soleinkol

Hi All:
[*]Day 4: VSKP to Maredumilli - Route seems like VSKP - NH16 - Jagampeta - (turn right) - Maredumilli.

• Any advice or feedback? I understand it is ghat road toward M'milli and we need to be careful about trucks, any further ideas/suggestions please?

[*]Day 5: M'milli - Pushpa bridge - Sileru - Chitrakonda - Boipadiguda - Araku is the plan we are thinking (GMap route - https://maps.app.goo.gl/XszqHir1LnSXz7pN9)

• Single road, not sure of the road condition. GMap showing 8+ hrs, we are considering 12 hrs including food and photo breaks. Any road advice here?
• Given our assumption of 12 hrs, we plan to start early around 6 AM. However, it will still be evening when we approach Araku. How is the last part of the road?

[*]Day 6: Araku local + Bora caves
[.

Vizag - Jaggampeta is on NH16 stretch and nothing specifically to mention. Jaggampeta - Rampachodavaram is again on NH561E IIRC and is good to drive. Undivided 2 lanes and easily driveable. Rampachodavaram Marudumilli is on the Rajamundry - Chinturu - Bhadrachalam road where the actual ghat road starts. The ghat is easily manageable with no traffic. The dense forest surroundings make the location very dark even during mid day times. Traffic is sparse and the only suggestion is to reach to Marudumilli at least by tea time. Road on the ghats is bad, potholed is observed when driven last but again, they are manageable.

Now from Maredumilli to Araku, unless you want to have some adventurous drive, I would again advise to avoid the Chinturu Sileru Balimela road which is on the AOB( Andhra Odisha Border). Balimela and surroundings are usually naxal infested and the checks on this road is high.

If visiting Araku and having some nice trekking adventure with sunrise, I would advise to drive back towards VSKP in the same road, Exit NH16 @ "ADDU ROAD" , drive towads Narsipatnam, Lambasingi Paderu/Vanjangi and then to Araku. Now this route till Paderu has good traffic and you'll not feel lonely. Roads are of AP State govt and keep expectations close to zero. Paderu - Araku is good road with full of RTC buses.

Vanjangi or Lambasingi is worth a midnight stay for early sun rise view.

Araku to OD/WB , Im not aware of this part.
Have a safe drive.

[A_Basu]

Originally Posted by soleinkol

The plan so far looks like:

• Day 1: Kolkata - Barkul (OTDC Pantha nivas booked, plan to start early around 4 AM, so that by 5:30 PM/6 PM latest we are in Barkul OTDC)
  • Are there some road work going on, like flyovers etc and too many diversions? Is 12 hours of drive time a good estimate considering both me and my wife are sedate drivers
  • Is the speed limit in this part of Odisha 80 KMPH or 100 KMPH? I am getting conflicting info.

I can tell you about the road conditions upto Bhubaneswar.

Upto Balasore, you'll encounter roadwork and diversions. For added complexity, within WB, there will also be zig-zaggedly placed road barriers and shoddily constructed rumble strips. After Balasore, the road is better. Because you and your wife are sedate drivers, the diversions and bumps shouldn't be a major problem.

I am a very sedate driver too, and have done Kol-Bbsr in 10 hours, so Kol-Barkul in 12 hours should be doable for you. It is pertinent to mention, however, that I don't stop for food breaks at all; only for bio-breaks (for my aged mother). We carry sandwiches, and have them during one of the bio-breaks. The reason for not stopping for food breaks is...sedate driving Wouldn't want to lose time.

The speed limits are mentioned as 80 kph for cars, but the speed meters you encounter on the way will flash red if you're driving above 50 kph.

Hope this helps, and have a nice trip

[soleinkol]

Originally Posted by Altrozed

...the only suggestion is to reach to Marudumilli at least by tea time. Road on the ghats is bad, potholed is observed when driven last but again, they are manageable.

Thanks, good input about the ghat road condition, will keep in mind. We were planning to reach M'Milli by 2 PM latest, so that too matches with what you say.

Originally Posted by Altrozed

Now from Maredumilli to Araku, unless you want to have some adventurous drive, I would again advise to avoid the Chinturu Sileru Balimela road which is on the AOB( Andhra Odisha Border). Balimela and surroundings are usually naxal infested and the checks on this road is high.

Hmm, that's a little concerning. TBH, we were thinking that we would take the AOB route and on reaching Boipariguda, will decide whether to drive on to Araku, or stay somewhere - may be extend to Jeypore OD (cheaper fuel, better stay options, have few extra things to see, Araku would be 3.5 hrs drive next morning when we would be fresh again).

So if I understand you right about the Sileru route :

• it is potentially much empty, getting any support could be problematic
• there could be multiple CRPF/police checks en route as there are possible Naxal movements around this area, esp. around Balimela
• Hard to predict road conditions - managed by AP state

One of our known contact is deputed in CRPF camp Sukma area and per him the Chinturu-Malkangiri-Araku route is okay. Guess we need to do a bit more study about this specific route via Balimela. Thanks for your feedback!

Originally Posted by A_Basu

The speed limits are mentioned as 80 kph for cars, but the speed meters you encounter on the way will flash red if you're driving above 50 kph.

Very confusing numbers - camera's flashing at 50 KMPH, Govt. notification saying 100 KMPH (link), real experience 80 KMPH. This is India I guess ! Thanks a lot!

[nitinralli]

Hey Guys,

First time driving in this part of the stretch (Hyderabad to Vizag) hence need to know current conditions of the highway.

I am Not a sedate driver hence what should be the realistic drive time should i look at if i start 4 am from Hyderabad? Car in question is XUV500.

Lastly, what's the speed limit on this stretch 80 or 100 and any spot/areas i need to be careful regarding speed cams?

[poised2drive]

Originally Posted by soleinkol

So if I understand you right about the Sileru route :

• it is potentially much empty, getting any support could be problematic
• there could be multiple CRPF/police checks en route as there are possible Naxal movements around this area, esp. around Balimela
• Hard to predict road conditions - managed by AP state

One of our known contact is deputed in CRPF camp Sukma area and per him the Chinturu-Malkangiri-Araku route is okay. Guess we need to do a bit more study about this specific route via Balimela. Thanks for your feedback!
!

Drove to Sileru via from Vijayawada and returned via Maredumilli in Feb, 2022

Expect lot of traffic if it is on a weekend on Maredumilli-Jaggampeta/R.C.Varam stretch riddled with the potholes.

The road is good until Amruthadara on the Ghat ( as per yesterday's report) . Be prepared for Truckers and buses ( It is on Bhadrachalam-Rajahmundry route and hence lot of traffic) .

Chinturu-Malkangiri is a highway and hence cannot be compared with Sileru-Balimela route which sees sparse traffic.

The route that you want take : from Y Junction- Donkarai-Sileru- It is doable and quite scenic too - Pristine forests and a chain of streams and canals of Sileru running simultaneously . If you are staying at Sileru ,ensure the accommodation as there are only 2 to 3 lodges ( and an AP Power Generation Corp. guest house) . It is a census town centered around the Sileru Power Project and an agency area ( and hence, non-local can own property)

From thereon, there exists a route towards Balimela via Upper Sileru Dam but expect it to be through a dense forest and tiny hamlets without any proper communication network. You can inquire in Sileru about the Road conditions and if it is not confident inspiring, come back via same route.

But I predict it would be adventurous nevertheless doable ( as we took our car over to Odisha ( you enter into Odisha immediately after crossing Sileru) till the first village ( and it was really a handful of houses far from any visible urban civilization)

[soleinkol]

Hi -

We started the trip on 2nd Nov and returned back to Kolkata on 10th Nov. The trip went very well, without any issues whatsoever from the car, not even a puncture. It was really a confidence inspiring drive with Maruti Brezza VXI.

Originally Posted by A_Basu

Upto Balasore, you'll encounter roadwork and diversions. For added complexity, within WB, there will also be zig-zaggedly placed road barriers and shoddily constructed rumble strips. After Balasore, the road is better.

Perfectly described, same situation till now. We started at around 3.45 AM, and reached Balasore outskirts around 7 AM. Didn't face much traffic or trucks anywhere. Had some quick breakfast with stuff we were carrying and the tea from the shop where we stopped.

We reached Barkul around 4.30 PM with a lunch break around Cuttack. Apart from traffic increase near twin cities of Cuttack and BBSR, nothing to mention. One should watch for aggressive / careless bikers though.

Road to Vizag was great next day. We started a little late, stopped at Rambha, and in general went in between 70-90 KMPH mark, with good many stops. Reached Vizag around 6.30 PM and with a huge traffic, reached our hotel in Kirlampudi Layout around 7.30 PM - the traffic was at it's peak.

Originally Posted by poised2drive

The route that you want take : from Y Junction- Donkarai-Sileru- It is doable and quite scenic too - Pristine forests and a chain of streams and canals of Sileru running simultaneously . If you are staying at Sileru ,ensure the accommodation as there are only 2 to 3 lodges ( and an AP Power Generation Corp. guest house) . It is a census town centered around the Sileru Power Project and an agency area ( and hence, non-local can own property)

From thereon, there exists a route towards Balimela via Upper Sileru Dam but expect it to be through a dense forest and tiny hamlets without any proper communication network. You can inquire in Sileru about the Road conditions and if it is not confident inspiring, come back via same route.

But I predict it would be adventurous nevertheless doable ( as we took our car over to Odisha ( you enter into Odisha immediately after crossing Sileru) till the first village ( and it was really a handful of houses far from any visible urban civilization)

We took the bait and chose the Donkarayi-Balimela route though the Manager of Maredumilli Aranya Resort (Venkatesh, very nice guy) mentioned that the route is not in good condition and we have to go really slow.

In reality for major part of it, the road was okay, though very narrow - almost the jungles hit your ORVMs. Between Donkarayi and Sileru (almost till Chitrakonda actually), there were many potholes (craters ) - also it had very less traffic and habitation. Between M'Milli to Sileru approach, there are ghat roads with some hairpins if I recollect properly.

The moment you cross Chitrakonda though, the road condition gets better dramatically (Odisha State Highway). From Chitrakonda to Jeypore were very good double-lane roads without divider (but with proper border marks etc.), though almost this entire part was done in the evening. After stopping at Patraput Bridge for 2 stuck kendu leaf trucks for about 40 minutes, we reached Jeypore hotel around 9.20 PM.

Jeypore to Araku was ghat roads around the end (towards Araku), and it was nice to drive. Araku to Ananthagiri & further descent is hill drive, but nothing challenging if you keep an eye on the oncoming traffic and be in general vigilant. Then on to Gopalpur and eventual drive to Chandipur was very nice and uneventful too, except that most of the later were proper highway with dividers and speed cameras. However, when one is driving down from VSKP side to Kolkata, after you reach Bhadrak, you would face a lot of diversions, reducing speed and riding comfort.

From Kharagpur to Kolaghat is again excellent. Here in one stretch government (defence min.?) is building a spare runway using the roadway such that in case of emergencies, that can be used for landing/take-offs.

After Kolaghat, it is almost traveling within city - so nothing to write about it.

Thanks for all your help in planning this, the inputs were really great help!

[soleinkol]

Originally Posted by soleinkol

We started at around 3.45 AM, and reached Balasore outskirts around 7 AM.

We reached Balasore outskirts around 7:45 AM. Correcting, since 7 AM mentioned wrongly may give a wrong impression of road conditions/speed maintainable.

Originally Posted by soleinkol

Road to Vizag was great next day. We started a little late, stopped at Rambha, and in general went in between 70-90 KMPH mark, with good many stops. Reached Vizag around 6.30 PM and with a huge traffic, reached our hotel in Kirlampudi Layout around 7.30 PM - the traffic was at it's peak.

What I missed to mention is that once you cross Odisha (read Berhampur/Brahmapur), food options will reduce to almost nil. And since we started from Barkul in the morning after a good breakfast, we didn't feel hungry at all till that point. We finally stopped on the highway somewhere around 2:30 PM after looking up a restaurant in GMaps. However, it was a Alcohol point basically, so obviously we could not use it with family. However, since we were carrying dry foods (remember drunk Kareena Kapoor comparing foods with missiles in 3 idiots ?), we used those and we were good to go. Would suggest carrying backup food for all driving in this route, as we didn't find much usable food options on the way, except tea/coffee joints after entering AP.

[samuelkoyya]

Hi All, Can someone shed some light on current status of Vijayawada outer ring road which connects Gollapudi to pottipadu toll (skipping Vijayawada and Gannavaram)?

[hailking]

Originally Posted by samuelkoyya

Hi All, Can someone shed some light on current status of Vijayawada outer ring road which connects Gollapudi to pottipadu toll (skipping Vijayawada and Gannavaram)?

I just traveled from Hyderabad to Eluru and took the Bypass road at Vijayawada. It took me through the IRR and past the airport at Gannawaram. The roads were okay though a small stretch had no dividers. You might get some truckers also bypassing the city - they're not allowed to enter the city. It joins NH16 at Ramavarappadu Ring.

[hailking]

Originally Posted by nitinralli

Lastly, what's the speed limit on this stretch 80 or 100 and any spot/areas i need to be careful regarding speed cams?

NH 65 had 80 in most places but I didn't see any cameras. NH 16 was 100 till Eluru - I stopped by journey there but if I remember correctly from my biking days, the speed is 100 till Vizag too.

[poised2drive]

Originally Posted by samuelkoyya

Hi All, Can someone shed some light on current status of Vijayawada outer ring road which connects Gollapudi to pottipadu toll (skipping Vijayawada and Gannavaram)?

It is not yet completed.

You have to enter Vijayawada, keep left at Gollapudi Crossroads via Inner ring Road and go on towards Ramavarappadu Ring!

Post 10 pm, you can drive through the city !